Corsair launches Carbide Air 540 and 330R cases

Corsair showed off two new additions to its case line-up at Computex 2013 with the new Carbide 330R and radically different Carbide Air 540.

It wouldn’t be a trade show these days without a raft of new bits of kit from Corsair, so prodigious has the company’s output of new hardware been recently. Computex 2013 has been no exception, with a pair of new chassis catching the limelight.

Most interesting of the two is the all new Carbide Air 540, which uses a case design radically different from anything else within the Corsair stable. The case’s focus is on maximum, un-obstructed airflow. To accomplish this Corsair has split it the case into two compartments; one that houses the motherboard and core hardware, and a second behind the motherboard tray for the PSU and drive bays. This allows the fans in the hardware compartment to sit much closer to the hardware, and with no drive bays or mounts to get in the way makes for uninterrupted airflow into and out of the case and, hopefully, lower temperatures.

The design makes for a shape that’s wider, shallower, and shorter than a typical ATX case, but as you can see from our photos, remains able to house the most extravagant of systems. A full-side-panel window offers an unobstructed view of the hardware on display, while the rear of the case is loaded with cable routeing holes and drive bays (5.25, 3.5 and 2.5in). The end result is a case we’re very excited about, and we can’t wait to get our hands on one for review when it hits shelves late in July.

The Carbide Air 540's new design allows the core hardware to sit unobstructed in the front compartment, with the PSU and drive bays behind them

Corsair was also keen to show off the Carbide 330R. While it’s not a radical departure from traditional case designs, it still carries Corsair’s new ethos of uninterrupted airflow with a front intake fan above the hard disk drive cage. Sound-dampening padding is fitted to the side panels, front fascia door and the removable roof panel and sleek minimalist styling places it as a more demure option in comparison to the brasher grills and styling of the Carbide Air 540.

The Carbide 330R's more minimalist styling matches its focus on low-noise cooling

Like the look of the Carbide Air 540 R or Carbide 330R? Let us know in the forums?